Porphyria's Lover - Robert Browning
Add your own notes if there is anything else that you have below. Poem + Notes The rain (Pathetic Fallacy) set early in to-night, The sullen (Personification) wind was soon awake, - Negative tone/start - Storm = trouble It tore the elm-tops down for spite, And did its worst to vex the lake: I listened with '''heart fit to break. - 'Tension ''When '''glided' in Porphyria; straight ''- Immediate change in lexus She '''shut the cold out' and the storm, changing enviorment - ''And kneeled and made the cheerless grate ''She knows what to do, shows the closeness of couple ''Blaze up, and all the cottage '''warm'; Shows she cares for him ''Which done, she rose, and from her form Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl, ''- Burlesque idea, comfortable undressing in front of him ''And laid her soild gloves by, untied Her hat and let the '''damp hair fall', - Literally letting her hair down, shows lack of formality'' And, last, she sat down by my side And called me.(She commands him) When no voice replied - Third person - our narrator is removed from his own actions She put my arm about her waist, And made her smooth white shoulder bare, - Really racey for the time And all her yellow hair displaced, And, stooping, made my cheek lie there, - ''Clear display of intimacy '' And spread, o'er all, her yellow hair, Murmuring how she loved me - she ''Too weak, for all her heart's endeavour, '' To set its struggling passion free From pride, and vainer ties dissever, And give herself to me for ever. - 'She is too worried about other peoples opinions of them that she won't submit to him.' But passion sometimes would prevail, Nor could to-night's gay feast restrain ''A sudden thought of one so pale - ''Again, in third-person For love of her '''and all in vain: So, she was come through wind and rain. Be sure I looked up at her eyes ''Happy and proud (ambiguous); at last I knew'' ''Porphyria '''worshipped me; surprise - The narrator is arrogant enough to think he should be worshipped ''Made my heart swell, and still it grew While I debated what to do. That moment she was '''mine, mine', fair, - Strong repeat shows his possesive, controlling attitude ''Perfectly pure and good: I found A thing to do, and all her hair In one long yellow string I wound Three times her little throat around, ''-'''SHOCKING! - Devoid of all emotion' And strangled her. '''No pain' felt she;'' I am quite sure she felt '''no pain. -''' Again, this idea of repetition - Trying to reassure himself As a shut bud that holds a bee, -'' Negative pastoral ''I warily oped her lids: again '' ''Laughed the blue eyes without a stain. And I untightened next the tress About her neck; her cheeck once more Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss: -'' Necrophilia ''I propped her head up as before, Only, this time my shoulder bore Her head, which droops upon it still: The smiling rosy little head, So glad it has its utmost will, That all it scorned at once is fled, '' - This whole section is one creepy bit. The narrator is now sure that ''And I, its love, am gained instead! ''by killing her, he has assured her devoution to him. ''Porphyria's love: she guessed not how her darling one wish would be heard. And thus we sit together now, And all night long we have not stirred, ''And yet God has not said a word! -'' Trying to justify the murder. Other notes Form - Dramatic Monologue Structure - Iambic Quadrameter - Gives a perverse regularity to the murder Rhyme - A, B, A, B, B - again, gives a regularity Title - Classical Greek Category:Poetry